Python Virtual Environments Explained

Virtual environments in Python solve the problem of dependency conflicts between different projects. They create isolated Python installations where you can install packages without affecting the global Python environment.

The built-in venv module is the standard way to create virtual environments. Simply run python -m venv myenv to create a new environment, then activate it with the appropriate script for your operating system.

Benefits include project isolation, dependency management, easy deployment, and the ability to work with different Python versions across projects.

Best practices include always using virtual environments for projects, keeping requirements.txt files updated, and using descriptive names for environment directories.